eRe4s3r wrote on Aug 6, 2012, 23:01:Who says we can't, but what you want on Venus?

Anyway, I gotta hand it to the Nasa (I am more of a ESA guy as you can imagine ,p) this landing move was extremely cool. It is the future, no, it is the first real landing of a drone. The others all crash landed and hoped to survive the impact somehow. That ain't even space exploration, that's just throwing shit at planets and hoping something still functions afterwards!

But things that confused me with a superb mission like that, it could have done a lot more for space exploration 1) why the heck did they crash their sky-crane if it still had fuel reserves, dual use anyone?2) why didn't they plan it out so the sky-crane can do maintenance and lifting work (ie, has replacement solar panels, wheels and assorted as well as a robotic arm that can do said work) and can ferry the drone to somewhere else later (extending the mission capabilities by factor 2 or 3)3) why aren't these drones using real power sources?4) Didn't they ever think that future mars missions might have good use for the sky-crane if they had designed it properly?

1. As I understand it, there was only just enough fuel to do what it did and no more.

2. That mission would have required much more fuel than they carried. Any extra fuel means the rover itself must be proportionally smaller.

3. Curiosity is using a real power source: plutonium dioxide. As it decays, the heat is converted into electricity by thermocouples to charge the batteries. It should provide Curiosity with years of power and not have the solar panel issues that plagued previous rovers.

4. As previously mentioned: out of scope. Add that capability would have taken functionality away from Curiosity.

"The worst of it all is i used to ENJOY getting excited for big titles like this, but these publishers just keep ruining my love for this wonderful hobby with their endless fuckery." - Sempai

Anyway, I gotta hand it to the Nasa (I am more of a ESA guy as you can imagine ,p) this landing move was extremely cool. It is the future, no, it is the first real landing of a drone. The others all crash landed and hoped to survive the impact somehow. That ain't even space exploration, that's just throwing shit at planets and hoping something still functions afterwards!

But things that confused me with a superb mission like that, it could have done a lot more for space exploration 1) why the heck did they crash their sky-crane if it still had fuel reserves, dual use anyone?2) why didn't they plan it out so the sky-crane can do maintenance and lifting work (ie, has replacement solar panels, wheels and assorted as well as a robotic arm that can do said work) and can ferry the drone to somewhere else later (extending the mission capabilities by factor 2 or 3)3) why aren't these drones using real power sources?4) Didn't they ever think that future mars missions might have good use for the sky-crane if they had designed it properly?